Our Father who is in heaven, uphold the holiness of your name. — Matthew 6:9
When I used to travel west and ski (before kids, in other words), the top of the mountain was a holy place. I simply seemed closer to God. Looking up, the sky was bluer and the clouds, whiter. Though I wasn’t there at night, I’d imagine the stars could be seen in the millions–an awe-inspiring sight.
I imagine being at the mountaintop whenever the land below becomes cumbersome. So many problems, so much pain and uncertainty. But peering into the depths of the sky reminds me that there is a much higher wisdom, literally. We humans in our pride think we can figure things out and control things. No one on their deathbed thinks that, nor should we who still hope that there is some time left for us.
The biblical view of the world is that God was above us, and that place was called heaven. It might help us to occasionally look up as we live out our lives below. It makes the fragment of an old hymn ring true: “And though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.”
Of course, the next step is to help bring heaven a little closer to earth.
Bring in your kingdom so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)